The present disclosure relates to an image capturing apparatus, and more particularly, to an image capturing apparatus, an image capturing device, and an image capturing method which perform phase difference detection and a program which allows a computer to execute the method.
Recently image capturing apparatuses such as digital still cameras generating an image by image-capturing a subject such as a person and recording the generated captured image have become widespread. In addition, as the image capturing apparatuses, for convenience of a user's image-capturing manipulation, image capturing apparatuses having an auto focus (AF) function for automatically performing focus adjustment at the image capturing time have become widespread.
As the image capturing apparatus, for example, an image capturing apparatus which generates a pair of images by pupil-dividing light transmitting through an image capturing lens and determining a position of the image capturing lens by measuring an interval between the generated images (detecting a phase difference) is disclosed (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2000-305010 (FIG. 1)). The image capturing apparatus generates a pair of images by using an image sensor including pixels for focus detection, where a pair of light receiving devices is provided to each pixel, and calculates an amount of focus shift by measuring an interval between the generated images. Next, the image capturing apparatus calculates a movement amount of the image capturing lens based on the calculated amount of the focus shift and aligns focus by adjusting the position of the image capturing lens based on the calculated movement amount (focus adjustment).